Though spatial skills -- the ability to find meaning in the shape, size, orientation, or trajectory, of objects -- are valuable, the tactics we use to measure student outcomes don't always include these important skills. By not placing value on spatial thinking, we may be missing out on developing the skills of the next Thomas Edison.

One of the biggest tech trends to follow is the evolution of 3D printing -- not just in the consumer market, but also in education. But to use 3D printers, students will need to learn how to design using digital programs. Here are a few great options for students and teachers to learn how to design for 3D printers.

Allowing kids to deeply engage with a project they are passionate about also helps produce more positive memories of school, Stager said. “The reason the Maker Movement is so exciting is it can reenergize the classroom and it can make high quality memories of education,” he said.

Modern learning is more about discovery. It’s not so much waiting as doing, says Will Richardson. Learners should be empowered to continue learning and to use their interests to fuel projects that they care about. Richardson had some ideas about how teachers can begin to move away from content delivery and towards a model that is supportive of individual learners.

Some of the most important subject areas and activities we want students to learn are the very ones that are left out of many schools: the arts, computer programming, and learning to making things by hand. We know that arts integration can open all kinds of opportunities for learning and fostering creativity. We’re learning why … Continue reading Coding, Making, and the Arts: Essential Tools for Students →

As the Maker Movement starts to gain momentum, schools that are trying to find ways to foster the do-it-yourself environment can learn a few lessons from another nexus in the universe: public libraries. Dale Dougherty, founding editor and publisher of Make Magazine — and the de facto leader of the Maker Movement — has a … Continue reading Want to Start a Makerspace at School? Tips to Get Started →

Courtesy: Exploratorium In step with the popularity and growing momentum of Maker Faire, the “maker movement” is going global with the help of the Exploratorium museum’s Global Studios. After 40 plus years of work in this field, the Exploratorium, which is based in San Francisco, is stepping up its involvement in hands-on, informal science and … Continue reading The Maker Movement Goes Global →